McCarthy told me he thought Justin Hodges was the best player, but the Queensland selectors inexplicably went for Tate.

Blind Freddy could see Matt Scott was best on the park by the length of the footy field.

Tate was paying $101 on the NSW TAB and one punter had $50 on him for a tidy $5000 collect. The lucky punter placed the bet at the TAB mobile van outside the stadium. Of course we're not suggesting one of the selectors backed him.

***

SAINT

I SHOULDN'T be encouraging anyone to break the law, but how good was Wati Holmwood. On a night when there was little to cheer about, the man with the big brown bum at least gave us something to laugh at. And my favourite Twitter line: "Tan of the Match."

SINNER

CHANNEL Nine does a wonderful job with State of Origin, but there is always room for improvement.

1. Wally Lewis has to stop cheering and start commentating. 2. The game should be broadcast in high definition like every game on Fox Sports.

WHICH Fox Sports pundit has been banned from cutting his own hair by the network's hair and make-up staff?

HEAVY BETTING

AUSSIE sports fans just love a punt. No less than 470,171 individual bets were placed on the State of Origin series with the NSW TAB alone. Punters spent $12 million on the three games.

BIG BASH-TON

ASHTON Agar will be one of the biggest drawcards of next summer's Big Bash. He's signed up for the Perth Scorchers, much to the disappointment of the franchises who checked out his availability after the innings of 98 in Trent Bridge. Meanwhile, Channel Ten has signed Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming to call the the games.

UNITED FRONT

THE Man U touring party is a staggering 110 people, with 40 players and coaches, while the rest work on the business. The entourage is so big that Man U held a "get to know you" barbecue during the week so the football staff could find out what others do.

GIRL POWER

LOST in the backwash of State of Origin, the Jillaroos didn't get the credit they deserved for winning their first World Cup final in England, beating the Kiwis in the grand final. Onya girls.

GONE FISHING

IF you can't beat them, join them. Your columnist is off to Queensland this week for a short break.

Jimmy Hooper will be in the chair next Sunday and he's promised to go easy on my Sharks. Enjoy.

***

Surfing superstar Stephanie Gilmore.Source: Getty Images

OUR own Stephanie Gilmore shared the spotlight with global superstars Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, LeBron James and Serena Williams during the week - and she was far from out of place.

Steph was named best female action athlete at ESPN's annual ESPY awards, one of sport's glittering events on the calendar in Los Angeles.

Williams was named best female athlete, Bolt the best international athlete and Phelps the best male Olympian.

But Gilmore is just as big in her own domain. As a five-time world champion, the 25-year-old is one of the most marketable faces in surfing.

She looks pretty good out of the water, too.

***

NRL badboy Blake Ferguson is expected to make his comeback for the Canberra Raiders next weekend.

Ferguson will be up against his old drinking buddy Josh Dugan in the St George Illawarra side at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.

The NRL will rubber stamp his return providing the counselling services he has been attending confirm he has completed various treatments.

Ferguson is as fit as when he left the game four weeks ago, having trained under the guidance of his mate Anthony Mundine.

***

DENIS Fitzgerald has returned as a major powerbroker at the Parramatta Eels. The newly-elected board and chairman Steve Sharp use the old Emperor in an unofficial consultancy role.

Few major decisions are made without bouncing them off the former long-time CEO.

It's a good idea for an inexperienced board to be calling on Fitzgerald's knowledge considering the massive challenges the Eels are facing with the hopelessly under-performing NRL team.

***

THE NRL continues to reject moves that would allow three of the world's top 10 players, Sam Burgess, Sonny Bill Williams and Kieran Foran, to play State of Origin football.

An idea has been floated that both NSW and Queensland would be allowed to choose two international wildcards.

They would be available for selection for whichever state they first played football in. Imagine a Blues team with Sonny Bill and Burgess in the pack. Good night Queensland.

***

THE latest rugby league radio ratings saw 2GB record another smashing win over Triple M.

Ray Hadley's audience almost tripled (pardon the pun) their only commercial rivals on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And the other mob weren't carrying Darryl Brohman's ego either.

***

THE Man U players had a night off on Wednesday and many went to State of Origin, but it seems none took the chance to sample Sydney's nightlife. Catching the winter sun has taken priority with a trip to Manly Beach on Friday morning the most popular outing.

Given that they will have to endure another long, damp Manchester winter, no wonder Sydney's mild winter and beaches are so alluring.

The United entourage leaves Sydney on Sunday night, but chances are you will see some Red Devils at Bondi Beach this afternoon.

THERE is one reason - and one reason only - that Benji Marshall is walking out on Wests Tigers.

Forget what you've read elsewhere because the decision has nothing to do with the money that was offered or a contract extension.

Benji has fallen out with Mick Potter and can't work under the rookie coach. Something was said by Potter at a recent meeting between the pair that convinced Benji he had to go. He had no other choice.

It's a shame because the code cannot afford to lose him.

***MAN United's Rio Ferdinand has shown week it's possible to be a multi-millionaire sports star and decent bloke at the same time.

Rio cheerfully pressed the flesh of hundreds of fans midweek during signings for his new book, My Decade as a Red. He then found time to mix with A-League All Stars Liam Miller and Besart Berisha.

A sheepish Paul Ifill approached Rio and asked him to sign his shirt, which shows how everyone gets affected in the company of greatness.

Ifill played in an FA Cup final against Man U in 2004 at Wembley but still wants autographs.

***

BLUES skipper Paul Gallen has been awarded the title as the most hated NSW State of Origin player in history in an online poll on couriermail.com.au.

For anyone living south of the border, it's actually seen as a badge of honour.

One thing about Maroons fans is they have long memories. Benny Elias hasn't played Origin since 1994 but is still a clear second on the most-hated list.

News.com.au's Privacy Policy includes important information about our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (including to provide you with targeted content and advertising based on your online activities). It explains that if you do not provide us with information we have requested from you, we may not be able to provide you with the goods and services you require. It also explains how you can access or seek correction of your personal information, how you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with a complaint of that nature.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites.